Throat applicator



May 17, 1932. w WALSH 1,858,694

THROAT APPLICATOR Filed Aug. 11, 1950 Patented May 17, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM E. wALsH, on NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, Assrenon TO 'rHECoNNECTICU'r ,HARD RUBBER COMPANY, on, NEW Haven, CONNECTICUT THROAT APPLICATO'R Application filed August 11, 1930; Serial No. 474,557.

7 My invention relates to a throat applicator and more especially to a device for applying an antiseptic or the like to thethroat.

The usual method of applying an antiseptic to the throat is by means of a swab intro? duced into the throat while the mouth of the patient is'held open. Usually, the patient gags when the swab is introduced, making it diflicult to secure a thorough application of the antiseptic and causing considerable discomfort to the patient. This is usually brought about by the fact that the muscles of the jaw and throat are tense and rigid while the'tongue is arched, the swab striking the tongue at the back of the mouth.

It is, in general, an object of the present invention to bring about an arrangement by means of which an antiseptic or the like may be readily and quickly applied to the throat, and in a more thorough manner than has heretofore been possible.

In a more specific aspect the invention relates to an applicator which may be used while the mouth of the patient remains sub stantially closed with the muscles of the aw and throat relaxedfthe tendency to gag being largely, if not entirely, eliminated.

A further object of the'invention is to produce a throat applicator by means of which the tongue may be held in depressed position during the act of applying the antiseptic.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a throat applicator which may be easily manipulated by a patient to apply medication to his own throat.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a throat applicator in which the jswabbing element is carried by a flexible member whereby the swab will automatically follow the curvature of the throat.

Still another object of the invention'is the provision of an applicator of such construction Whichmay readily be taken apart for cleansing and sterilization.

A feature of the invention resides in an arrangement 'whereby the whole area of the throat overwhich ,itisde'sired to apply the antiseptic may be readily reached.

To these and other ends, the invention consists in the novel features and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a throat applicator according to my invention;

Fig. 2 is a view of the left-hand end of the applicator shown in Fig. 1; I r

I Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view along line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a view of the applicator in positio'nto apply the antiseptic to the throat;

Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 1, but showing a modification;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional View taken along line 55 of Fig. 4, and r F "g. 6 is a view from the right-hand end 0 the applicator shown in Fig. 4.

' Referring to the drawings in which I have illustrated my invention by showing some preferred embodiment of the same, and with specialreference to Figs. 1 to-3 inclusive, the-reference numeral '10 indicates an elongated relatively'flat tube or body, preferably made of hard rubber and provided at one end thereof with oppositely directed laterally extending arms or finger pieces 11 and 12, and an "axially directed bore. 13. WVhile the cross-sectional shape of theibody 10 may be varied, I prefer to use a.relatively fiat form in order that thevtongue maybe readily depressed in a manner to be hereinafter'pointed out.

Slidably mounted in the bore 13 is a rod 14, having at its outer end a ring-like handle 15, rod 14 being reduced at its inner end 16 (Fig. 3 for the reception of a flexible element '17, which may be 'a flexible wire and in this instance in the form of a coiled spring, to the other end 18 of which may be applied a swab 19 in the form of a wad of cotton adapted to receive the antiseptic. f

In use, the applicator is adjusted into the position shown in Fig. 1, with a Wad of cotton attached tothe outer end 18 of spring 17, the wad of cotton containing the antiseptic. The mouth of the patient being open, the end 10 of body 10 is inserted between the jaws and above the tongue, whereupon themouth may be closed untilthe teeth rest oneither side of loo the body 10, the finger pieces 11 and 12 remaining outside of the mouth.

One of the opposite. flat faces of the body will rest on the tongue and hold the latter depressed so that the rod 14 may be readily and quickly moved into the-bore'13 to force the spring 17 out ofthe opposite end of the bore 13 and the swab 19 into the throat, the spring andswab taking generally the position showninFig; 3 of the drawings "as theswab' passes down into the throat. In this position, the handle may be rotated as the rod 14 is moved back and forth in the bore13, thus" bringing the swab 19 into; contact with all parts of the throat. Owing to the fact that the mouth'is closed, the tongue held depressed by the body 10, and the muscles of the jaws and throat relaxed, the tendency of the patient to gag is largely, if'not entirely, eliminated. Furthermore, when the body 10 is held in'the inouth' of thepatient, the swab 19 may be readily and quickly introduced into the throat by moving the rod l l'into the bore 13, the

doctor or nurse holding the body 10 immovable bygrasping; finger pieces 11 and 12 in one hand while.- the handle 15 is manipulated by means ofthe other hand.

Upon the withdrawal of the applicator trom the mouth of the patient, the applicator "nay be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected by removing the swab 19 from: the end of spring 17 and withdrawing the rod 14 and spring 17 from the bore 13 whereuponthe several parts of the applicator maybe separately sterilized.

In that form of the invention shown in Figs. 4,5 and 6 of the drawings 'a tubular body 20, preferably-made out ofhard rubber, is provided with: an axially directed ,bore2l in whiclra rod 22, preferably made-out of iardrubber, is received for sliding movement,

rod 22 havingcemented or vulcanized there- ,to at an'end-23 a second rod-24: of relatively soft flexible material, prefer-ably rubber, having a" relatively flat end 25' aper'tured at 26 1 or thereceptionof a wad of cotton 27. A

handle28 is provided on the end of rod 22 remote from end '23, by means of which the swab- 2'? may be readily moved into the throat of the patient upon insertion of the vody 20 into them'o'uth, The operationof the form shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 is substan-- 'tially the;same as that of-the' form shown ingFigs. 1 to 3 inclusive, the relatively soft rubber rod 24 permitting the swab 27 to pass downinto the throat'of the patient and to move around in the throat as the rod 22 is moved backand forth in body20,and rotated by meansfof handle 28. W j

From the above description of the invention, it :will be readily understood that by means of the impro'ved throa t applicator an antise tic maybe applied to the throat'while the muscles ofthe'jaws andthroat remain in nelaxe'dcondition, the tonguebeingelfectively held in depressed .pos'ition,-.. and out of' the that the" relatively stifl' rod may be dispensed with and the flexible element itself be carried through the bore of the tube and the manipulating ring formed directly on the end oftlie flexible element. Moreover .while the'body of the applicator, as shown, I is suflioiently. long to depress the tongue during the useof my device, it will be understood that, if desired, this portion of the: device maybe made only long enough tobe held'between the teeth of the patient if the tongue-depressing action is not desired.

- While I haveshown and described apre fe'rred embodiment of my. invention, itv will be understood that it is not to be limited to ,tliedetails shown but is'capable of modifica tion andvariation within the spirit-of the invention and the scope of'the appendedclaims. V

\Vhatl claim isi 1. In a throatapplicator, aifla'ttened 1 adapted to'bcreceiVed in the mouth and hav;

ing an axial bore, a rod extending through said bore, and means on-theend of saidrod adapted to receive and support antiseptic treated material,-saidflattened body being relatively wide and adapted tQiQOIltflC/t with the tongue over an extended areatodepressthe same, andbeing relativelythin whereby the mouth may be substantially close'dduring the application of the antiseptic.

2. In a throat applicator, a flattened body adapted to be :rece'ivedin the'mouth and hav ing an axial bore,;a rod extendingintoithe bore from one end thereon-a relatively long flexible extension on said rod adapted tobe drawn into the bore; before the applicator is placed in the mouth,-and to be protruded from "the bore when the applicator is in; position in the mouth,jand meansatthe end 0t saidflexible extension adapted toreceive and support antiseptic treated Inateriahsaidj fiattened body beingrelatively wide and adapt:

ed to contact-withthe tongue over an-extend- 7 ed area to depress the same, and being relatively thin whereby the mouth may; be subg stantially closed during the applioation ofthe antiseptic. 5.

In witness whereof, I have-hereunto set y hand this h,.davpfleases .1 3 1 WILLIAME.;WA LSH; 

